Ornament



June 3, 1941. c.. K. DAVIS 2,244,516

ORNAMENT Filed May 10, ,1'938 INVENTOR. CHAFZOTTE KHAN A5. BY f5 W 6ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 3, 1941 iE STES PTE.

are

3 Claims.

My present invention relates to improvements in ornaments such aswreaths, streamers, festoons and similar decorations formed of strips ofpaper, Cellophane or other flexible material,

More particularly, my invention relates to devices of the characterhereinafter described, wherein the core, or shape maintaining member ismade of hollow glass tubing, filled with rare gases, such as neon, andhaving suitable electrodes inserted therein so as to produce an in-'candescent light, which will, when connected into the proper electricalcircuits, cause the tubes to glow and illuminate the paper or materialthreaded thereon, thereby producing very attractive decorationsespecially in the dark. 1

Another object is the production of a cheap; and attractive ornamentwhich will be effective at all times, either day or night, and which maybe used any place where suitable electrical connections are available. l

The many additional objects. and advantages of my invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art especially after a study of thefollowing specification, wherein a specific embodiment is fullydescribed, and, of the attached drawing wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a ribbon of material, showing the varioussteps in the formation ofthe finished decorative covering for the core;

Figure 2 a sectional View through the ribbon with a core in position;

Figure 3 a front elevation, partly in dotted lines, of a wreath producedin accordance with my invention; and

Figure 4 a modification of the core wherein an incandescent filament isused in place of the rare gas.

In the drawing the numeral Ill designates a strip of decorativetransparent, or translucent, material, such as paper, Cellophane, waxedpaper and the like, either plain, colored or treated so as to produce aseries of blended colors. In the present embodiment, the strip I iscomposed of two layers, or ribbons, II and i2, which are longitudinallycemented, or otherwise secured, as at l3 and i4, producing alongitudinal pocket or opening l5. The edges of the ribbons are notcemented together which, when the strip is twisted, as hereinafterdescribed, permit them, if desired, to separate and thereby add to theattractiveness of the ornament. The pocket I5 is designed to be threadedover a core or reinforcement l6 which is preshaped to form the outlineof the finished article. In the drawing I use the typical shape of awreath to illustrate my invention, but it is to be understood I mayshape the core to the contour of letters, animals or the like, and getequally satisfactory results.

The next step in the formation of the flexible strip I0 is to twist itto form convolutions, as shown at ii in the drawing, which are nextcompressed as at It, to form the finished crinkled and convolutedmaterial indicated at l9. Various means may be resorted to in order toefi'ect the twisting of the ribbons, such as projecting the pocket l5over a wire, or mandrel, not shown in the drawing, and bodily rotatingthe supply spools for the ribbons H and I? while holding the free end ofthe ribbons against rotation. After the material has been twisted it maybe compressed or compacted, in any practical way, and progressivelyremoved from the mandrel. The convoluted material may then be cut intothe desired lengths and threaded over the permanent core orreinforcement 16.

One of the salient features of my invention is the production of a coreIt, preferably made of hollow glass tubing filled with a rare gas, suchas neon, and provided with proper electrodes 20, and connections forconnection to suitable electrical circuits. Or, I provide the tubingwith a wire filament, as shown at 22 Figure 4, such as tungsten, toproduce an elongate incandescent light of the design required. Suitablespacers 23 are provided to maintain the filament in proper spacedrelation to the tubing and to its respective convolutions.

Another form of core or reinforcement I may resort to is the use of asolid glass, or synthetic resinous material, and which may beilluminated throughout its length by the use of polarized light rayssupplied at one end of said core by means of a suitable generator suchas a small incandescent light, as will be understood. While I have notillustrated a core as just described, I wish it clearly understood Iconsider such cores and means of illumination as coming Within the scopeof my invention.

Obviously the use of cores as herein described, will of necessity, leavean open space between the ends thereof and in order to span such space aribbon of similar color, or of a contrasting color, tied into a largebow and secured to the free ends of said core, may be resorted to, or, ashort length of wire 24, shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, may besecured to the free ends and the ribbon secured thereto. It is alsopractical to thread a short length of the decorative material over theclosure member before one end is secured to the core. The ribbon or wiremay also be used for the purpose of hanging the ornament as will beunderstood. In the cases where the decoration is in the form of afestoon, spanning a space, say between two pillars in a hall forexample, small wires may be secured between convolutions of thedecorative material and provide a suitable hanging means therefor.

While I have described one embodiment of my invention in the form of awreath, and a simple and inexpensive means for hanging said decoration,it is to be understood my invention is to be, construed broadly enoughto cover all forms and types of decoration and securing means, insofaras it is practical to shape the core to conform to such forms or types.

In the embodiment I describe, I refer only to plain ribbons of flexible,transparent or translucent material but, I may use plaited, serratededge, crepe paper or other suitable, or similar,

materials 'as well with equal success, and without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention, and which invention is defined in thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. An ornamental figure comprising a core consisting of a complete neonlight unit deformed into a predetermined shape configuration andconstituting a distending member, and a preprepared twisted strip offlexible transparent material threaded upon said core and composed of aseries of spiral convolutions disposed about the same, said strip beingcomposed of a plurality of layers cemented longitudinally thereof at twopoints equidistant from the median of said strip forming a longitudinalpocket for the reception of said core.

2. An ornamental figure comprising a core consisting of a completeincandescent light unit deformed into a predetermined sham configurationand constituting a distending member, and a preprepared twisted strip offlexible transparent material threaded upon said core and composed of aseries of spiral convolutions disposed about the same, said strip beingcomposed of a plurality of layers secured together longitudinallythereof at two points equidistant from the median of said strip forminga pocket for the reception of said core.

3. An ornament comprising an elongated electric lamp of desiredconfiguration, a decorative cover therefor, said cover being'composed ofa plurality of strips of light transmitting material secured togetherlongitudinally at two points forming an elongated pocket receiving saidlamp, said strips being twisted about said lamp forming spiralconvolutions.

CHARLOTTE K. DAVIS.

